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obstinate definition

ob·sti·nate (äb′stə nət)

adjective

  1. unreasonably determined to have one's own way; not yielding to reason or plea; stubborn; dogged; mulish
  2. resisting remedy or treatment an obstinate fever
  3. not easily subdued, ended, etc.

Etymology: ME < L obstinatus, pp. of obstinare, to resolve on < obstare, to stand against, oppose < ob- (see ob-) + stare, to stand

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical obstinate definition - medical

obstinate Synonyms

obstinate

modif.

stubborn, firm, headstrong, dogged, pertinacious, opinionated, strong-minded, contumacious, opinionative, contradictory, inflexible, positive, perverse, contrary, cantankerous, unimpressible, determined, convinced, resolved, indomitable, adamant, intractable, crotchety, obdurate, self-willed, refractory, unamenable, unalterable, unconquerable, restive, unflinching, unyielding, unbending, immovable, tenacious, decided, heady, unmanageable, bull-headed, mulish, pigheaded, plucky, sulky, case-hardened, fixed, stiff-necked, callous, hard, hardened, relentless, recalcitrant, unrelenting, resistant, repulsive, willful, unwavering, prejudiced, biased, bigoted, dogmatic, unreasonable, unreasoning, hellbent*, die-hard*, set in one's ways*; see also resolute 2.

Antonyms docile*, submissive*, amenable.

obstinate applies to one who adheres persistently, and often unreasonably, to a purpose, course, etc., against argument or persuasion a panel hung by an obstinate juror; stubborn implies a strong, even innate, resistance to change or manipulation of purpose, course, condition, etc. a stubborn child, a stubborn belief in astrology; dogged implies thoroughgoing determination or, sometimes, sullen obstinacy the dogged pursuit of a goal; pertinacious implies a strong tenacity of purpose that is regarded unfavorably by others a pertinacious critic


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

obstinate Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • so: No one was ever so ready for argument and, I must add, so obstinate and lovable.

Modifies a noun

  • refusal: This spirit seems to have arisen as an obstinate refusal to admit that things were bad.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: When the waiting women enumerate the drawbacks to her position of absolute guilt, she remains obstinate in her conviction of her own responsibility.
obstinate usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

obstinate quotes

   The liberally educated person is one who is able to resist the easy and preferred answers, not because he is obstinate but because he knows others worthy of consideration.

-Bloom, Allan

   She was stricken with most obstinate love to a young man.

-Shute, Nevil originally Nevil Shute Norway

obstinate quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"obstinate." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/obstinate>

APA Style

obstinate. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/obstinate

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